CVE-2026-92252
Received Received - Intake

Incorrect Default Permissions in WatchDog Anti-Virus Allow Privilege Escalation

Publication date: 2026-09-20

Last updated on: 2026-09-20

Assigner: 34edf4f2-2577-40ab-82ce-39f45972c129

Description
Incorrect default permissions in the installation directory of WatchDog Anti-Virus on Windows allow local, low-privileged users to modify, replace, or delete antivirus binaries and configuration files, because the installer grants the Users group Full Control over C:\Program Files (x86)\Watchdog Anti-Virus. This may disable antivirus protection or enable privileged code execution if modified binaries are loaded by an elevated WatchDog process.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-09-20
Last Modified
2026-09-20
Generated
2026-09-20
AI Q&A
2026-09-20
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2026-92252
EUVD
EUVD-2026-83740

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 1 associated CPE
Vendor Product Version / Range
watchdog anti-virus 1.8.804

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-276 During installation, installed file permissions are set to allow anyone to modify those files.

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

CVE-2026-92252 is an incorrect default permissions vulnerability in WatchDog Anti-Virus for Windows. The installer grants the Users group Full Control over the installation directory (C:\Program Files (x86)\Watchdog Anti-Virus). This allows local low-privileged users to modify, replace, or delete antivirus binaries and configuration files, potentially disabling protection or enabling privileged code execution.

Detection Guidance

Check the permissions of the WatchDog Anti-Virus installation directory (C:\Program Files (x86)\Watchdog Anti-Virus) using icacls or Get-Acl in PowerShell. Look for the Users group having Full Control (F) permissions. If detected, the vulnerability is present.

Impact Analysis

This vulnerability allows attackers with low privileges to disable antivirus protection or replace binaries with malicious code. If modified binaries are loaded by an elevated WatchDog process, it could lead to privileged code execution, compromising system security and data integrity.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized modification or deletion of antivirus binaries and configuration files, potentially disabling security protections. For GDPR, this may violate Article 32 requirements for security of processing. For HIPAA, it could compromise the integrity of systems handling protected health information.

Mitigation Strategies

Update WatchDog Anti-Virus to version 1.8.804 or later. After updating, verify that the Users group no longer has Full Control permissions on the installation directory. Restrict permissions to only necessary accounts.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2026-92252. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart